It is a distinct honor to introduce Jean-Claude Martinou, an internationally recognized leader in cell and mitochondrial biology whose discoveries have fundamentally shaped modern understanding of apoptosis and mitochondrial function. In recognition of his seminal and sustained contributions, the International Cell Death Society proudly presents him with its 2026 Annual Award.
Professor Martinou received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Toulouse. After postdoctoral training in St. Louis in the laboratory of John Merlie, he joined the University of Geneva, where he began a distinguished academic career. He later established his own laboratory at the Glaxo Institute for Molecular Biology in Geneva, serving as Head of the Department of Neurobiology; the institute subsequently became the Serono Research Institute. In 2000, he was appointed Professor at the University of Geneva and went on to lead the Department of Cell Biology, remaining a central scientific figure there until his retirement in 2021.
Professor Martinou’s scientific legacy is defined by transformative contributions to apoptosis research. His early work provided critical insights into programmed cell death in neurons and clarified the mechanisms by which Bcl-2 family proteins regulate mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization. His laboratory was the first to demonstrate that BAX oligomerizes to form membrane channels and that lipids and membrane curvature are key determinants of this process. His team co-discovered BAK and established that pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family members—particularly BAK and BAX—serve as the essential effector molecules of the apoptotic program. His group further defined two functional classes of BH3-only proteins: those that directly activate BAK and BAX, and those that inhibit anti-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins. This conceptual framework remains foundational to the field. Importantly, his laboratory also linked apoptosis to mitochondrial dynamics, showing that mitochondria fragment during cell death.
Beyond apoptosis, Professor Martinou made landmark discoveries in mitochondrial biology, including the molecular identification of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier—an achievement sought for more than four decades—and the discovery of mitochondrial RNA granules, illuminating key principles of mitochondrial gene expression and translation.
Over his career, he trained more than 80 postdoctoral fellows and students, many of whom now lead independent programs. Elected to the European Molecular Biology Organization in 2015 and recipient of the Lelio Orci Award in 2019, Professor Martinou’s impact on cell death and mitochondrial biology is profound. It is therefore especially fitting that he receives the 2026 Annual Award from the International Cell Death Society.
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